Episode 133. Dangerous Proposal
The next morning.
The bedroom, bathed in clear morning sunlight, was a complete mess.
The bed and furniture were broken here and there, and the walls and floor were clearly marked by five claw marks. The curtains and bed sheets on the canopy were torn to shreds and swayed in the wind.
It was a miserable sight, as if a huge storm had passed through.
In the middle of it all, naked Christine was lying exhausted. His arms were tied to the bedposts with iron chains, and his mouth was gagged.
The thick leather gag was tattered, and hia rock-hard skin was covered in large and small scratches, giving away how much he had struggled the night before. There were also bloody towels and various medicine bottles scattered around. He looked like an animal that had been tortured to death.
“Can I see His Majesty?”
Christine's shoulders, which had been lying like a dead person, trembled. He heard Adele's voice coming from behind the door.
"Still sleeping."
"Until this hour? Is he sick or something?"
"No. He was in the office all night and went to bed a little while ago."
"I see. I'm going to visit Count Castler..."
"I've already received the message and have Madame Marilla prepare it. Don't worry and go."
"Thank you. Please tell His Majesty on my behalf."
"Don't worry."
Christine, who had parted ways with Adele last night, was out of his mind due to extreme heart pain.
He couldn't control himself, just like the day he first awakened as a wolf. His killing instinct grew as much as his pain. He felt that he couldn't escape this pain unless he hurt someone.
So he ordered Zimmer to tie his body and gag his mouth. He took enough painkillers and sedatives to keep himself from dying.
Even then, he didn't know how many times he passed out and woke up struggling. It was only when morning came that the pain gradually subsided and he gradually returned to his original form.
Fortunately, he had used magic to keep Adele and Aaron deep asleep until morning, so they didn’t notice anything.
Click!
As the door opened and Zimmer entered his bedroom, he noticed that Christine had opened his eyes.
“Are you awake, Your Majesty?”
However, he couldn’t approach him carelessly. He could clearly see him turning into a silver wolf last night and rushing at him.
When Christine nodded, he finally brought the key and unlocked the gag and bonds.
“What a damn good morning.”
Christine murmured hoarsely, caressing his bruised and peeling wrist.
“Are you okay now?”
Even as he sat up with Zimmer’s help, his face twisted as he groaned in pain.
“Not yet. But I have regained enough sanity to control my transformation.”
Even as he spoke, he clutched his chest and broke out in a cold sweat.
“I really thought you were going back this time! I was so nervous that something might go wrong without Miss Leana!”
Only then did Zimmer collapse on the bed and start to cry. Having been by Christine’s side all night, he had been going back and forth between heaven and hell, and his eyes had widened in just one day.
“You’ve worked hard. But is Leana here yet?”
“I’ve received reports that she's near the Nixus Bridge. They’re hot on the trail of Maurice and his party.”
“When was the last report?”
“Your Majesty was about to collapse.”
“It’s been a night.”
“It’s none other than the great wizard Miss Leana. Worry about Your Majesty first.”
Zimmer clicked his tongue in pity. Christine’s smooth body was covered in wounds big and small, and his dry lips split and bled whenever he spoke.
“Maurice is more cunning than I thought.”
“Yes, I’ll check the situation again and report back.”
“And Adele... has she gone back?”
“Lady Marilla brought her here a little while ago. Don’t worry, I’ve entrusted her to the best knights as you requested.”
“Hmm.”
Christine clutched his chest and made a gloomy expression. While believing that she would return, he also felt uneasy that she might not return.
Now, all his memories with her had returned. When he had finally managed to remember someone so precious, if she were not there...
Zimmer read his mind and whispered with a smile.
“But Aaron is now at the Marvel Palace.”
His expression brightened when Aaron’s name was mentioned.
“Didn’t they go together?”
“She left him behind to be His Majesty’s companion.”
Perhaps embarrassed that his true feelings had been revealed so transparently, he pretended not to know.
“I'm not the kind of person who needs someone to talk to.”
“Then should we send Aaron back to the Castler?”
Christine frowned at Zimmer’s sly question.
“Yes. No need to bother him.”
Knock.
A servant announced outside the door with a knock.
“Your Majesty, Aaron Castler would like to see you.”
Christine quickly motioned for clothes and ordered them outside the door.
“Wait a moment!”
“Your Majesty, it’s not yet time to meet Aaron...”
Despite Zimmer’s concerns, he was firm.
“I'm recovered enough.”
Zimmer had no choice but to bring him clothes and put them on as he motioned for clothes again. However, even as he dressed in simple clothes such as pants and a shirt, Christine hesitated from time to time.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Zimmer worried as he wiped the cold sweat running down his face.
But he nodded as if to tell him not to worry.
“Don’t underestimate the resilience of the wolf clan.”
After a while, Zimmer helped Christine open the door and went out.
Aaron, who was standing with the people in front of the door, came running, smiling brightly like the sun. At the same time, he released Zimmer’s arm that was holding him.
“Did you sleep well? Your Majesty!”
Christine smiled as if nothing had happened when he saw Aaron bowing.
“Um, yes. Did you sleep well, too?”
“Yes! Aaron woke up a little while ago. But my mother told me to eat breakfast with Your Majesty, so I waited.”
“You must be very hungry, Aaron.”
“Yes! Very, very hungry.”
“Then let’s go eat quickly.”
“Yes, let’s go quickly!”
Aaron ran ahead. Zimmer watched Christine following behind him anxiously.
Right now, he was not in a position to move on his own. However, it was dangerous for the palace of Kalame to know that he was weak. In addition, Leana was also absent.
Aaron, who did not know about this situation, ran over and turned around. Then he laughed brightly and shouted.
“Your Majesty, what are you going to do after breakfast?”
“Well, what do you plan to do?”
“I want to ride a horse! Alone. No, I’ll ride with Your Majesty, but alone.”
Christine understood what Aaron meant and laughed.
“Then shall we ride horses and go for a walk together?”
“Yes, we’ll go for a walk separately.”
Zimmer, who had been following Christine, finally whispered softly.
“He's still too young to ride a horse, Your Majesty.”
But he suggested to Aaron as if he hadn’t heard.
“Yes, Aaron. After breakfast, let’s go for a walk on horseback. What do you want to do next?”
“Swordsmanship training! Your Majesty is stronger than Jade, right?”
“I think so.”
“Wow! I knew you would!”
A faint smile spread across Christine’s lips as he looked at Aaron, who was excited and thrilled. Even though he was still in pain and had cold sweat on his forehead, his expression looked joyful.
That’s why Zimmer couldn’t stop him. He knew how happy he was right now.
“Madam Adele!”
As Adele got out of the carriage, Tanya came running to greet her.
“What about Mark? I heard he was tortured. How is he? Did he get treatment?”
Tanya smiled at Adele, who was very worried.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry so much. Madame Bonita just wrote you a letter because she was angry for no reason.”
But Adele still looked worried.
“I need to see it with my own eyes.”
“He’s not here right now.”
Adele stopped as she was entering the mansion.
“He’s not here?”
“Yes, he went out last night and hasn’t come back yet.”
“At the clinic?”
“Pauline went, but he wasn’t there. Jade said he saw him go out with a fishing rod at night.”
Mark only knew the clinic and his home. There were two reasons why he would stay out overnight. He would visit another town for regular medical treatment or go fishing. Most of the time, he would go with his children, but sometimes he would go alone.
A river mouth bathed in spring sunshine. This was a favorite fishing spot for those in the know.
The next morning.
The bedroom, bathed in clear morning sunlight, was a complete mess.
The bed and furniture were broken here and there, and the walls and floor were clearly marked by five claw marks. The curtains and bed sheets on the canopy were torn to shreds and swayed in the wind.
It was a miserable sight, as if a huge storm had passed through.
In the middle of it all, naked Christine was lying exhausted. His arms were tied to the bedposts with iron chains, and his mouth was gagged.
The thick leather gag was tattered, and hia rock-hard skin was covered in large and small scratches, giving away how much he had struggled the night before. There were also bloody towels and various medicine bottles scattered around. He looked like an animal that had been tortured to death.
“Can I see His Majesty?”
Christine's shoulders, which had been lying like a dead person, trembled. He heard Adele's voice coming from behind the door.
"Still sleeping."
"Until this hour? Is he sick or something?"
"No. He was in the office all night and went to bed a little while ago."
"I see. I'm going to visit Count Castler..."
"I've already received the message and have Madame Marilla prepare it. Don't worry and go."
"Thank you. Please tell His Majesty on my behalf."
"Don't worry."
Christine, who had parted ways with Adele last night, was out of his mind due to extreme heart pain.
He couldn't control himself, just like the day he first awakened as a wolf. His killing instinct grew as much as his pain. He felt that he couldn't escape this pain unless he hurt someone.
So he ordered Zimmer to tie his body and gag his mouth. He took enough painkillers and sedatives to keep himself from dying.
Even then, he didn't know how many times he passed out and woke up struggling. It was only when morning came that the pain gradually subsided and he gradually returned to his original form.
Fortunately, he had used magic to keep Adele and Aaron deep asleep until morning, so they didn’t notice anything.
Click!
As the door opened and Zimmer entered his bedroom, he noticed that Christine had opened his eyes.
“Are you awake, Your Majesty?”
However, he couldn’t approach him carelessly. He could clearly see him turning into a silver wolf last night and rushing at him.
When Christine nodded, he finally brought the key and unlocked the gag and bonds.
“What a damn good morning.”
Christine murmured hoarsely, caressing his bruised and peeling wrist.
“Are you okay now?”
Even as he sat up with Zimmer’s help, his face twisted as he groaned in pain.
“Not yet. But I have regained enough sanity to control my transformation.”
Even as he spoke, he clutched his chest and broke out in a cold sweat.
“I really thought you were going back this time! I was so nervous that something might go wrong without Miss Leana!”
Only then did Zimmer collapse on the bed and start to cry. Having been by Christine’s side all night, he had been going back and forth between heaven and hell, and his eyes had widened in just one day.
“You’ve worked hard. But is Leana here yet?”
“I’ve received reports that she's near the Nixus Bridge. They’re hot on the trail of Maurice and his party.”
“When was the last report?”
“Your Majesty was about to collapse.”
“It’s been a night.”
“It’s none other than the great wizard Miss Leana. Worry about Your Majesty first.”
Zimmer clicked his tongue in pity. Christine’s smooth body was covered in wounds big and small, and his dry lips split and bled whenever he spoke.
“Maurice is more cunning than I thought.”
“Yes, I’ll check the situation again and report back.”
“And Adele... has she gone back?”
“Lady Marilla brought her here a little while ago. Don’t worry, I’ve entrusted her to the best knights as you requested.”
“Hmm.”
Christine clutched his chest and made a gloomy expression. While believing that she would return, he also felt uneasy that she might not return.
Now, all his memories with her had returned. When he had finally managed to remember someone so precious, if she were not there...
Zimmer read his mind and whispered with a smile.
“But Aaron is now at the Marvel Palace.”
His expression brightened when Aaron’s name was mentioned.
“Didn’t they go together?”
“She left him behind to be His Majesty’s companion.”
Perhaps embarrassed that his true feelings had been revealed so transparently, he pretended not to know.
“I'm not the kind of person who needs someone to talk to.”
“Then should we send Aaron back to the Castler?”
Christine frowned at Zimmer’s sly question.
“Yes. No need to bother him.”
Knock.
A servant announced outside the door with a knock.
“Your Majesty, Aaron Castler would like to see you.”
Christine quickly motioned for clothes and ordered them outside the door.
“Wait a moment!”
“Your Majesty, it’s not yet time to meet Aaron...”
Despite Zimmer’s concerns, he was firm.
“I'm recovered enough.”
Zimmer had no choice but to bring him clothes and put them on as he motioned for clothes again. However, even as he dressed in simple clothes such as pants and a shirt, Christine hesitated from time to time.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
Zimmer worried as he wiped the cold sweat running down his face.
But he nodded as if to tell him not to worry.
“Don’t underestimate the resilience of the wolf clan.”
After a while, Zimmer helped Christine open the door and went out.
Aaron, who was standing with the people in front of the door, came running, smiling brightly like the sun. At the same time, he released Zimmer’s arm that was holding him.
“Did you sleep well? Your Majesty!”
Christine smiled as if nothing had happened when he saw Aaron bowing.
“Um, yes. Did you sleep well, too?”
“Yes! Aaron woke up a little while ago. But my mother told me to eat breakfast with Your Majesty, so I waited.”
“You must be very hungry, Aaron.”
“Yes! Very, very hungry.”
“Then let’s go eat quickly.”
“Yes, let’s go quickly!”
Aaron ran ahead. Zimmer watched Christine following behind him anxiously.
Right now, he was not in a position to move on his own. However, it was dangerous for the palace of Kalame to know that he was weak. In addition, Leana was also absent.
Aaron, who did not know about this situation, ran over and turned around. Then he laughed brightly and shouted.
“Your Majesty, what are you going to do after breakfast?”
“Well, what do you plan to do?”
“I want to ride a horse! Alone. No, I’ll ride with Your Majesty, but alone.”
Christine understood what Aaron meant and laughed.
“Then shall we ride horses and go for a walk together?”
“Yes, we’ll go for a walk separately.”
Zimmer, who had been following Christine, finally whispered softly.
“He's still too young to ride a horse, Your Majesty.”
But he suggested to Aaron as if he hadn’t heard.
“Yes, Aaron. After breakfast, let’s go for a walk on horseback. What do you want to do next?”
“Swordsmanship training! Your Majesty is stronger than Jade, right?”
“I think so.”
“Wow! I knew you would!”
A faint smile spread across Christine’s lips as he looked at Aaron, who was excited and thrilled. Even though he was still in pain and had cold sweat on his forehead, his expression looked joyful.
That’s why Zimmer couldn’t stop him. He knew how happy he was right now.
***
“Madam Adele!”
As Adele got out of the carriage, Tanya came running to greet her.
“What about Mark? I heard he was tortured. How is he? Did he get treatment?”
Tanya smiled at Adele, who was very worried.
“Oh, you don’t have to worry so much. Madame Bonita just wrote you a letter because she was angry for no reason.”
But Adele still looked worried.
“I need to see it with my own eyes.”
“He’s not here right now.”
Adele stopped as she was entering the mansion.
“He’s not here?”
“Yes, he went out last night and hasn’t come back yet.”
“At the clinic?”
“Pauline went, but he wasn’t there. Jade said he saw him go out with a fishing rod at night.”
Mark only knew the clinic and his home. There were two reasons why he would stay out overnight. He would visit another town for regular medical treatment or go fishing. Most of the time, he would go with his children, but sometimes he would go alone.
***
A river mouth bathed in spring sunshine. This was a favorite fishing spot for those in the know.
Mark often took his children here to fish and camp. Sometimes, when he had a lot to think about, he would spend time alone.
A few days ago, he had promised to go fishing here with Aaron...
Now, he would never be able to be with that kid again?
“Damn it!”
Mark, who felt upset just thinking about it, gulped down the bottle of alcohol next to him in one gulp.
“Oh my, you didn’t catch a single fish.”
He turned around, putting down the bottle at the sound of an unfamiliar woman’s voice.
A dazzling blonde beauty with blue eyes smiled faintly while holding a parasol.
“Who are you?”
Instead of answering, she sat down next to Mark and stared at the sparkling water.
“Aren’t you a little angry? They used you to their heart’s content and became happy, but in return, what did you get...”
“What are you!”
When Mark looked at her warily, the woman quietly laughed out loud.
“Someone in the same situation as you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but go back.”
Mark hurriedly organized his fishing gear as if he would go if she didn’t.
“Are you going to end up being trampled by the Emperor?”
“What?”
The woman stared at Mark with a cold expression.
“The Emperor will soon touch not only you, but also your family. He may somehow make you a traitor and wipe out the Castler family. For someone who has trampled on so many royal families, this is a simple matter that he doesn’t need to hesitate about.”
“Who sent you?”
“I heard that a lot of medicine is being sent to the Marvel Palace where the Emperor resides these days. Seeing that he only wants medicine without a palace doctor, it seems that he has some kind of illness that would be if the Emperor were to know about it.”
A dazzling blonde beauty with blue eyes smiled faintly while holding a parasol.
“Who are you?”
Instead of answering, she sat down next to Mark and stared at the sparkling water.
“Aren’t you a little angry? They used you to their heart’s content and became happy, but in return, what did you get...”
“What are you!”
When Mark looked at her warily, the woman quietly laughed out loud.
“Someone in the same situation as you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but go back.”
Mark hurriedly organized his fishing gear as if he would go if she didn’t.
“Are you going to end up being trampled by the Emperor?”
“What?”
The woman stared at Mark with a cold expression.
“The Emperor will soon touch not only you, but also your family. He may somehow make you a traitor and wipe out the Castler family. For someone who has trampled on so many royal families, this is a simple matter that he doesn’t need to hesitate about.”
“Who sent you?”
“I heard that a lot of medicine is being sent to the Marvel Palace where the Emperor resides these days. Seeing that he only wants medicine without a palace doctor, it seems that he has some kind of illness that would be if the Emperor were to know about it.”
“He has wizards, so he doesn’t need a palace doctor.”
“If he only wants medicine, it means that a wizard can’t cure the condition.”
“So?”
“Someone from the palace will come soon. I recommended that you work as the palace doctor.”
“So?”
“Someone from the palace will come soon. I recommended that you work as the palace doctor.”
“Are you telling me to prescribe poison to the Emperor?”
“You’re quick with words.”
Mark unconsciously looked around at the woman who was smiling faintly. This was such a big deal.
“You’ve got the wrong person. I’m a doctor who saves lives.”
“This is about saving you and your family. They can only live if the Emperor is killed.”
Mark frowned with a pained expression.
Maybe this woman was right. The one who framed him as a traitor might have been the Emperor. And he still hadn’t been cleared of the charges of treason.
That meant he could be arrested again at any time. If the Emperor wanted, it wouldn’t be a big deal to link the children or Mia together.
But he couldn’t waver in this situation.
“How can I trust you? If the Emperor is so cunning, this might be a trap to make me a real traitor.”
“What?”
“You haven’t even revealed your identity yet. Isn’t that proof that you’re not upright?”
“I am, Oswald. I'm a human being! A family that was destroyed while helping Adele and the Emperor, just like you!”
Mark looked closely at the woman in front of him.
Could it be Seira Oswald?
She used to dominate the social world, but she disappeared a few years ago, and only ominous rumors were spreading. How could Seira approach him and mention assassinating the Emperor?
Could this woman be in league with the rebel priests?
“Even a passing dog wouldn’t believe it. The world knows what the Oswalds did to Adele. And tell those who sent you: Anyone who touches my family, whether the Emperor or the rebel priests, will be sent to hell!”
“You’re quick with words.”
Mark unconsciously looked around at the woman who was smiling faintly. This was such a big deal.
“You’ve got the wrong person. I’m a doctor who saves lives.”
“This is about saving you and your family. They can only live if the Emperor is killed.”
Mark frowned with a pained expression.
Maybe this woman was right. The one who framed him as a traitor might have been the Emperor. And he still hadn’t been cleared of the charges of treason.
That meant he could be arrested again at any time. If the Emperor wanted, it wouldn’t be a big deal to link the children or Mia together.
But he couldn’t waver in this situation.
“How can I trust you? If the Emperor is so cunning, this might be a trap to make me a real traitor.”
“What?”
“You haven’t even revealed your identity yet. Isn’t that proof that you’re not upright?”
“I am, Oswald. I'm a human being! A family that was destroyed while helping Adele and the Emperor, just like you!”
Mark looked closely at the woman in front of him.
Could it be Seira Oswald?
She used to dominate the social world, but she disappeared a few years ago, and only ominous rumors were spreading. How could Seira approach him and mention assassinating the Emperor?
Could this woman be in league with the rebel priests?
“Even a passing dog wouldn’t believe it. The world knows what the Oswalds did to Adele. And tell those who sent you: Anyone who touches my family, whether the Emperor or the rebel priests, will be sent to hell!”
Comments
Post a Comment